Vuelta a España - Race Overview

It was an inarguably successful Vuelta for ORICA-GreenEDGE who came into the final Grand Tour of the season chasing stage wins and preparing for the Road World Championships. In his race preview, Wilson said he would leave Madrid satisfied if the team had secured a stage win. His squad gave him two.

“The Vuelta could not have finished off any better for the team. We lost a fair few guys over the last few weeks, but everyone who was left did their job perfectly today. They put me in the right position to launch myself for the sprint. It’s been an amazing tour. I can’t imagine a better ending than this. Two stage wins and time in the green jersey at my first Grand Tour is very special for me. It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. The wins aren’t just for me. They’re for the whole team. When the boys do what they do for me, it’s an unbelievable feeling to finish off their work.” - Michael Matthews

“Most teams experience some bad luck and some good luck during the course of a Grand Tour. We definitely had our moments with both. We got really unlucky with a few crashes during the first week. We certainly never planned to have only five riders during the third week. Even with the injuries and illness, it’s been a fantastic Vuelta for the team,” Wilson continued. “For any team that isn’t concerned about the general classification, two stage wins is a success. I couldn’t have asked for anything more from the guys. I’m proud of all of them.” - Sport Director Matt Wilson